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Paula White

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Paula White
Born (1966-04-20) April 20, 1966 (age 58)
Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupation(s)Life coach, Author, Inspirational Speaker, Philanthropist
Children1
WebsitePaula White Ministries

Paula Michelle White is a Christian life coach, author and motivational speaker, and the senior pastor of Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida.

Biography

Early life

Paula White was born Paula Michelle Furr April 20, 1966, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Myra Joanelle and Donald Furr. Her parents' marriage began to fail when she was five years old, her mother took Paula to Memphis. Paula’s father followed with an ultimatum for her mother to give Paula to him or he would commit suicide. White's mother refused, later that night Donald Furr killed himself by running his car into a tree.[1] Paula’s mother became an alcoholic. While her mother worked, White was looked after by caregivers, who she said sexually and physically abused her for seven years between the ages of six and thirteen.[2][3]

Young adulthood and growing ministry

She had a baby out of wedlock but soon married the child’s father. At age eighteen, while living in Maryland with her newborn baby, she was introduced to the gospel and became a Christian. Her marriage ended soon after.[3] She met her future husband, Randy White, when he visited a church where she was working as a janitor. They married in 1989 and moved to Tampa, Florida, where they started South Tampa Christian Center. (renamed Without Walls in 1997.) White quickly overshadowed her husband in popularity. Randy and Paula did not have any children together but had four children from previous relationships: Kristen Hernando, Angie, Brandon, and Bradley. Two grandchildren, Drew and Emma, were born in June 2005.[3]

Ebony magazine said of White, "You know you're on to something new and significant when the most popular woman preacher on the Black Entertainment Network is a white woman."[4]

White hosts a TV show called Paula White Today.[5] White has also been a featured guest on numerous television broadcasts, including ABC's 20/20, Benny Hinn’s This is Your Day, Bishop TD Jakes’ The Potter’s Touch, The 700 Club, and others.[6] Paula considers T.D. Jakes her spiritual father. Jakes invited her to speak at his "Woman Thou Art Loosed" Conference in 2000. White also participated in the Mega Fest, hosted by Jakes in Atlanta, in 2004 and 2005. She has also met with General Colin Powell, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, and Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.[7] She is the personal life coach of Tyra Banks and appeared on her show the Tyra Banks Show in an episode concerning promiscuity on October 4, 2006.[5]

Without Walls International Church was the seventh largest church in the United States. As of 2008, Paula received an honorary doctoral degree from Global Evangelical Christian College part of the International Circle of Faith College and Seminaries network.[8]

Divorce, home purchase, and ministry realignment

In an article published in The Tampa Tribune on May 20, 2007, when Paula's husband (Randy White) was asked whether he's contemplating a divorce he replied, "No one can predict the future."[9] On Thursday, August 23, 2007, Randy and Paula White announced to their congregation that they would divorce.

In August 2007, Paula purchased a 3,300-square-foot (310 m2) home in Coveny Ranch, a master-planned community in the San Antonio metropolitan area, appraised at close to $700,000. The residence rests on 3.7 acres (15,000 m2) and includes a pool, guest house and three-car garage.[10]

The Tampa Tribune reported on March 5, 2008 that Without Walls has put its 4,500–seat Tampa church up for sale, along with its 13.3-acre (5 ha) grounds and 94,000-square-foot (8,733 m2) offices and television studio, asking $30 million.[11]

As of February 1, 2011, Pastor Paula White is now the Senior Pastor of Both Without Walls Tampa and Without walls Central in Lakeland, Fl.

Finances

Paula White has received criticism from some Christians for promoting a prosperity gospel.[12] Paula White’s ministries took in $39.9 million in 2006, according to an audit of Without Walls and Paula White Ministries released in June by an independent Clearwater accounting firm. Paula White used about $28.6 million to help promote her church's programs, conferences and outreach efforts, the audit said.[9]

Senate investigation

On November 6, 2007, United States senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa announced an investigation of Paula White's ministry by the United States Senate Committee on Finance.[13] Grassley asked for the ministry to divulge financial information[14][15] to the committee to determine if White made any personal profit from financial donations, and requested that White's ministry make the information available by December 6, 2007. When CBS News reported the story, Paula White's ministry denied any wrongdoing,[16] and on March 31, 2008, the Senate Finance Committee received a joint financial report from Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries.[17]

Bibliography

  • White, Paula (1998). He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. Lake Mary: Charisma House. ISBN 9780884195658.
  • White, Paula (2003). Birthing Your Dreams : God's Plan for Living Victoriously. Nelson Reference. ISBN 9780785250697. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  • White, Paula (2006). Deal with It!. Walton-on-Thames: Thomas Nelson. ISBN 9781599510088.
  • White, Paula (2007). You're All That!. Nashville: FaithWords. ISBN 9780446580236.

References

  1. ^ Steve Hubbard and Lisa Ryan (2007). "Turning Trash into Treasure: The Testimony of Paula White". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  2. ^ "Pastor Paula White". Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  3. ^ a b c Sherri Day (2007-07-15). "Questions tarnish rise to top". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  4. ^ "Renowned Life Coach 'Paula White' Offers Transformational Advice". Christian Communication Network. 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  5. ^ a b Jackie Alnor (2006-10-21). "Paula White: Unable to Blush". Apostasy Alert. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  6. ^ "Paula White Profile" (PDF). Paula White Ministries. Retrieved 2007-09-11. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "Paula's Life Story". Paula White Ministries. Retrieved 2008-04-22. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ http://www.icof.net/college/alumni.htm
  9. ^ a b Michelle Bearden and Baird Helgeson (2007-05-20). "Of Faith, Fame & Fortune". The Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on 2007-09-09. Retrieved 2007-09-11. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ Abe Levy (2007-08-25). "Evangelist power couple is splitting up". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  11. ^ Michelle Beardon and Baird Helgeson (2008-03-04). "Without Walls wants to sell its sanctuary". The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved 2008-04-22. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "Pastor Smith, Paula White, and the Prosperity Gospel". 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  13. ^ Armen Keteyian (2007-11-06). "Televangelists Living Like Kings?". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  14. ^ Kathy Lohr (2007-12-04). "Senator Probes Megachurches' Finances". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
  15. ^ "Read Grassley's Letters" (PDF). National Public Radio. 2007-12-04. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
  16. ^ "Televangelists Living Like Kings?". CBS News. 2007-11-06. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  17. ^ Bill Coats (2008-04-01). "Without Walls sends financial data to Senate". The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved 2008-04-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

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